Growing Up in Bandera

Editor’s Note: The following piece originally ran in 2015. Mr. Clark requested we run this piece as a Christmas piece.

I'm sitting here at the computer doing some writing this morning and thinking back as Christmas time approaches. My head is filled with memories of the early years gifts from Santa. My all time favorite is the year I received my first bicycle.

I had overheard my mom and dad secretly discussing if they were going to present it to me before Christmas morning. I don't recall the circumstances of why the early gift came about. At this point I have to tell you that I had already discovered the bicycle hidden in the smokehouse at Granddaddy Kindla's house. It was a double edged sword of elation which turned into an agonizingly slow passing of the days.

The door had a lock but I could easily see it through the wide cracks in the cypress board walls and at every opportunity I would sneak a peek at that bright red soon to be mine ticket to new adventures.

I can recall every detail of the day of revelation. Dad told me to get in the truck and we headed to granddaddy's house. I wanna tell you I was about to explode with excitement. We parked in the alley and I hopped out like I was on a mission. I hadn't noticed that my dad was headed in the direction of the house because I was making a B-line to the smokehouse. I stopped dead in my tracks when he said, "Where are you going?". My heart sank but I quickly recovered as he broke into a big grin.

Mind you it wasn't a new bike but it was a real beauty. With five kids in the family living daily on a stretched thin budget this was huge.

Learning to ride my bike was the next adventure. It was a smaller 26 inch model and I used the running board of our truck to launch myself. Around the corner in front of Nanny and Honey Blackwell's house there was a cinder block wall the perfect height to ease up to for a rest stop. A whole new world had opened up to me. The only danger was the occasional loose dog chasing me down the mostly gravel streets around town.

I quickly became well versed in bicycle repair as the designs were pretty simple back then. The Western Auto was where I got my tube repair supplies. Every gas station in town had free air. I learned how to use balloons on the wheels where they rubbed on the spokes to create the motorcycle sound. Easy Rider had nothing on me as I cruised the backstreets of Bandera.

Among the other presents I received over the years was an electric football game where the playing field vibrated causing the players to move around. My brother Eddie and I shared that one.

I believe it was my freshman year of high school when I got a skateboard. It was pretty crude when compared to today's boards. The only sidewalk of any length in the neighborhood was in front of the high school which is now the middle school. I swear I do not recall anyone else in town having a board at that time. I do recall all the big cracks in the sidewalk which caused me to have some memorable crashes.

Christmas was always a big event in our house. One of the best things was going to granddaddy's pasture to cut a cedar tree to decorate. I remember them ranging in size from large to huge. Funny how they always looked smaller in the pasture.

The tradition of Christmas dinner at mom's house continued until her passing a few years ago. The smell of baked goodies and the love shared in those gatheings will forever be a part of me. I have a vivid image of the grandkids going crazy in the living room as they tore into the many gifts stacked high in front of them. A far cry from the sometimes meager gifts we enjoyed in earlier life. But the one constant spanning the years was the love of family we shared at Christmas time growing up in Bandera.